I used a cheery yellow and white home-dec weight fabric for the outside and a dark grey Kona cotton for the lining. Have I told you how much I love Kona cotton?

The lady at the fabric store suggested a chocolate brown lining - she didn't think grey would look nice with the yellow - but when I got home, I decided the brown was too dull. So, even though I had asked for her opinion (and she was nice enough to give it), I ignored her advice. As usual.

The bag is plenty big. Not as big as my French bag, maybe, but that just means I won't be able to bring home as much marking. haha.

It has one divided inner pocket.

And one lined, zippered inner pocket.

And a lovely long strap that goes across the body (which is how I like to wear my bags).

Forgive the messy hair and clothes. I just got home from kettlebells class and I wanted to show you this right away (because I finished making it right before I went to kettlebells).

Friday, January 28, 2011

And I've been busy. Here's what's been going on while I've been absent from the Land of Blog:

* I've been marking government exams. You might recall I did this in June and last January (and numerous times before that). It makes my head hurt, but it's interesting work (sometimes) and they pay me extra to do it. More money = more fabric.

* I dropped my master's course. The professor had us doing "live" online sessions... not a problem if I lived in the same time zone, but these sessions were scheduled for times when I am teaching. There were other issues that I won't get into. I'm relieved, but at the same time I'm unhappy about this. I wanted to be finished the degree by summer and now I can't.

* I've done very little sewing this week. I did manage to quilt one block of my Green and White sampler.

This is called Pipe Maze. I started another block but my bobbin ran out part-way through and I was just too tired to refill it. Really - too tired! I went to bed with a movie on my laptop instead (and, of course, I fell asleep watching it).

* And, finally, I celebrated a birthday. Well, "celebrated" may not be the right word. My birthday is today. I marked. I came home. In a few minutes I'm going to drive the OnlyChild to her writing conference. I might go to the fabric store (that would be celebratory). Then I will come back home. I have to get up early again tomorrow for the final day of exam marking so it won't be a late night for me.

Last year's birthday was traumatic. I couldn't stop thinking of that dreaded number (ending with zero) for the entire year preceding it. This year... I actually forgot it was my birthday. Mr. P and I agreed to not exchange gifts this year too. My mother, on the other hand, sent me a wonderful birthday package. She got a copy of my grandmother's birth certificate and had it framed for me. She also sent me a book and tool for making pinwheel quilts and a beautiful pink scarf. Thanks, Mum! (I will be calling you tonight or tomorrow.)

Sunday, January 23, 2011

I will start with stitch-in-the-ditch and then do some free-motion quilting in the blocks. That's the plan right now - all plans are subject to change without notice.

Barb mentioned this blog on Facebook so I went over to take a look. It's worth the time to browse - really! It's helping with the courage thing - in more ways than one.

Last night I finished the Snowman in the Woods top!

Am I allowed to say that I think mine is nicer than the one in the pattern?

I like my one red mitten.

I am going to pin-baste it at school tomorrow. I have the backing and batting all ready to go!

This morning we had the most beautiful sunrise. I had to share it with you. Such gorgeous colours in the sky.

And, I'm pretty sure all my ATC swap group members have received their card from me this month so I'll show that to you too. The theme was White on White. With all the crazy snow we've been having lately, what better interpretation of the theme than a snowflake? And, of course, I prefer fabric to paper.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

I snuck in some sewing time for the FNSI yesterday afternoon when I got home from work:

All the snowmen got arms!

The pattern calls for brown 1/4" bias tape, but I made up my own using brown fabric and Heat n Bond (I love that stuff).

We went out with another couple for Chinese food, but got home early enough so that I could sneak in another hour of sewing before bed. Sewing helps to burn all the calories from beef and brocolli, lemon chicken, cashew chicken and fried rice. Right?

Not very much got done in that hour because I was also chatting on Skype with Cheryl (a.k.a. She Who Seldom Blogs). Then she ditched me for a movie and bed and I figured she had the right idea, so I took my iPad and my book and hopped in between the covers.

My snowmen and tree blocks are now all sewn into rows which just have to be attached with sashing strips. Then the borders will be added and the top will be done!

No progress on the Green and White quilt yet. Maybe Sunday after I finish my BIG pile of marking...

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

I so wanted to do a little bit of sewing every day, but I should have known that wasn't going to happen, that I would be tripped up by marking and other obligations. Monday and Tuesday escaped me so I was determined to sit down at the machine tonight and put together some paper-pieced tree blocks to go with my little snowmen from Sunday.

Obviously, though, I am not a proficient paper piecer.

I got frustrated.

I cut my scraps too small.

I really should have known better. I started too late tonight.

After Kettlebells class, I took a bath (to ensure I will not be sore tomorrow), and while I was leisurely soaking, I realized with a slight panic that over the past couple of days, sewing wasn't the only thing I had neglected. I had completely forgotten about posting for my new master's course.

Egad!

That meant I had to devote some time to reading and writing for the course...instead of sewing. It wasn't until 9:30 pm that I even got to play with Bernice.

And that, my friends, is just a bit too late for me.

Tomorrow?

p.s. If you have any tips for paper piecing, I'd be happy to hear them. I've done very little of it - only when I made my second Union Jack Pillow, and that was a couple of years ago.

Sunday, January 09, 2011

I'd go outside and make a real snowman with all that crazy snow we got over the last couple of days, but the temperature has been dropping and dropping. In fact, it's forecast that we will hit -30º Celsius (-22 ºF) by tomorrow. Bbbrrr.

Luckily, I had Plan B - Snowmen in the Woods.

Look at those cute little snowman bodies, just waiting for their noses and eyes. I love the batik snowflake fabric and, even more, I love this Kona white solid. I bought about 7 or 8 different colours of this in a pre-Christmas nobody-else-will-buy-it-for-me binge (and I don't regret a single inch of it).

Of course, these snowmen were sewn after I had finished all my marking for the weekend. I've started going to a little bookstore/coffee shop around the corner. They open at 9:00 am on Sundays. Perfect! I don't have to drive there (or find parking), I get the marking done and out of the way, and I'm home by lunchtime with plenty of time to do other things... like laundry and housework quilting.

Tomorrow after work, I'm hoping I have time to play for a bit and do some paper piecing on the little tree blocks in this quilt. I don't know why I put off making this for two years. I'm enjoying the process very much.

And soon, when the roads are plowed and the marking craziness has slowed down, I will take a trip to the fabric store to pick up some batting and backing fabric so I can finish the Green and White quilt. Until then, however, I've got lots of projects to keep me busy and content ☺

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

I'm not yet buried under an avalanche of semester's-end marking but it's coming. As surely as the snow is coming down outside (and it's coming down!). My grade 12 students are going to figure out sometime in the next couple of days that their deadline for all coursework is Monday. And then the panic will begin. And then the frenzied marking will ensue.

However, since that hasn't yet happened, I decided to play around a little after work today.

I started Sandi's Season's of the Heart calendar quilt two years ago. I got 10 1/2 blocks finished... then I stalled. Tonight I made December's block, using a different pattern than she offered. (This one is from Wee Folk Art.)

I just have to do the stitching on November's block now. But I can't find it. It disappeared, probably around the time I cleaned my sewing room. I panicked for about 5 minutes, then I realized that it will show up someday...and that I have plenty of other things to keep me busy until then.

Like my Green and White Swap blocks. Another project started a long time ago. Last year in January, Pat organized this swap. Twelve participants chose block patterns from this site and cut fabrics for their chosen block x 12. We sent our baggies to Pat and she mailed everyone out the fixings for a quilt.

I got 6 blocks done right away (well, right away is a relative term). Now I have 8 out of the 12 done.

Hey, I could get all my unfinished projects done in 2011. I could...right?

Sunday, January 02, 2011

It has been such a GREAT Christmas break. Last year I returned to work feeling bitter and twisted because all I did was mark thoughout the vacation. This year, I visited with friends, finished a couple of gifts before the holiday, made mittens, finished my Checkerboard quilt, went to yoga classes, cooked a bit, and hosted a New Year's party.

And today, I made this:

This is the Dragonfly wallhanging for my sister-in-law. Her birthday is January 21, so I'm kind of hoping to get it done in time to mail it to her within the next two weeks. It's not my first "finish" of 2011 since I haven't quilted it yet, but I'm so excited that I actually got to do something I love on my last day of Christmas vacation.

Of course, that was after I took down all the snowmen, Christmas decorations and the tree this morning (I was supposed to do it yesterday, but a nap seemed like a better idea). The house is now back to normal and we'll all get back into a routine and, hopefully, I'll stop eating everything in sight ;)

I'm off to check out my closet and if I have any decent work clothes that still fit me. Goodbye days spent in pajamas...